The Face of a Rose
by TheRiverdaleRegister
Summary: Natsu has gone away. The one person she thought would always stay with her. Something isn't right, though. He's been gone a half a year longer than he was supposed to. Why is this? Why hasn't he come back? And just to make it worse, Zeref is back along with his posse of demons. What is he planning? How far will Natsu and Lucy go to protect each other from this Dark Wizard? NaLu 3
1. Chapter 1: Scorched Memories

**The Face of a Rose**

**Author's Note: Ahhhhh! I know, 3 stories! Craziness, right? You should go check out the other 2 though (shameless plug). Well, Fairy Tail was one of the very first animes I watched and I absolutely fell in love with it, but I'm kinda upset Hiro didn't make NaLu official. T_T It's all right though, it's totally obvious. Anyway, this story centers on just after Natsu left for his yearlong training journey and deals with the events, entirely non-canon, after it and how the characters handle them. Obviously NaLu 3 but a bit of a rough beginning. I may have some OCs, but of now, I hadn't planned on it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

**~Sofi**

***DISCLAIMER*  
**_**I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL I AM JUST BORROWING THE CHARACTERS AND SOME PLOT POINTS/EVENTS**_

**Chapter 1: Scorched Memories**

_Lucy's chest heaved._

_The lights surrounded her, whizzing past as she ran. Her feet pounded against the coarse cobblestone beneath her. It's not too late. It can't be too late. Tell me he's still there._

_Tears built up in her eyes. Slowly, they began to pile up until she could not contain them from spilling out. A wail escaped her lips as she pushed on running. _

_The contents of the letter left upon her coffee table echoed in her mind. _

Me n' Happy are going on a little training mission.

Be back in a year or so!

Tell everybody bye for us, will ya?

Thanks Lucy, see ya later!

-Natsu

_Bounding towards Fairytail, seemingly faster than the speed of light, she screamed. "How can you up and just leave me alone for an entire fricken' year?! How dumb are you Natsu?!" Lucy's speed quickened as she continued to cry out. "Can't you see?! Did you even think, of what this would do to me?!"_

_As street lights blurred around her and tears fogged her vision, Lucy's world slowly faded to black._

. . .

Golden light flooded through the crack in Lucy's curtains, peacefully awakening her from slumber. _Huh, another nightmare._

She stretched her arms, yawning as morning rushed to greet her. She gently opened her curtains and peered onto the streets of Magnolia beneath her and smiled somberly.

She eyed the people walking around. At the flower shop just next to her house a vender with carts of fruits and vegetables stood. Two children, twins, ran about and chased each other over the bridge, a kind fisherman reminding them to be cautious of the edge. A couple, supposedly the children's parents, took a basket of fruit from the vender and lightly kissed each other, softly but with passion. Lucy tilted her head. _How sweet._

Lucy had recently gotten a job in Crocus for_ Sorcerer Weekly_, but she had been offered staff in Magnolia and was lucky enough to get her old apartment back within a month or two after she sold it. Lucy often thought of the memories shared in this apartment and the streets of Magnolia. It was bittersweet. That was the perfect word for it.

As Lucy began to dress, her mind wandered back to that nightmare. It was a recurring dream, happening more frequently as the nights passed. It had been a year and a half. A year _and a half_ since Natsu had decided to leave with Happy.

_How could they do that, how could they do that and not come back? _She often thought, _They're supposed to stay… He was supposed to stay… _

Lucy quickly brushed the thought aside once she felt her eyes grow dewy. On the way out the door, Lucy grabbed the keys from her side table and didn't look back. Well, maybe just a glance.

. . .

Once Lucy arrived at the gate, she took a second to take in the magnificent guild hall. It was a massive building, rebuilt too many times to count. A golden was displayed at the top, cascading a harsh glare. Just below that, the flag depicting the Fairy Tail insignia blew valiantly in the mid-summer breeze.

The guild had three floors, and the building slightly reminded Lucy of a three-tiered strawberry cake she had seen Erza consume entirely by herself once. The walls of the guild were ornately detailed with incredible stone work, and the bottom wall contained tall, paneled glass windows. Each section of roof had smaller dormer windows peeking out, replicating the paneled design.

Once Lucy was satisfied, she headed into the guild. She sighed, her chest rising and lowering steadily as she entered the hall and glanced around. At one table, Lisanna, Elfman, Cana, and Bickslow were having a conversation. At another, Gajeel, Levy, Panther Lily, and the rest of 'Team Shadow Gear.' At the bar, she spots Mira serving Laxus while Freed hovered nearby. Finally, Lucy spotted Erza, Gray, Juvia, Wendy, and Carla off sitting at a table on the opposite side of the guild and made her way over to them.

"Good morning," she greeted them. They all turned to her with smiles, halting whatever their banter was about.

"Hello Lucy," Erza replied, scooting over in her seat to make room next to her for the Celestial Wizard. "We haven't started to eat breakfast yet, we got you a plate."

"Thanks!" She grabbed the plate from Erza's hand and they all began to eat together, Juvia getting pretty personal with Gray's food.

Wendy paused from eating. "I was thinking… and, I know you don't need the money because of your job Lucy-san, but we haven't gone on a job in a while and I thought it might be fun!"

"I'm down," gray spoke, shoving another mouthful of scrambled eggs into his mouth.

Juvia handed a napkin to Gray, who reluctantly took it. "If Gray's going, Juvia is going."

"As will I," Erza joined in, taking a small chunk from her strawberry cake with her fork.

"Lucy?" Wendy questioned. All eyes fell on Lucy and she could feel her cheeks flush.

Carla swooped down onto the table. "Don't pressure her, child. You know how… she doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to."

Lucy shook her head at this. _God, Lucy, just go, _she thought. _It wouldn't hurt. Besides, it'll be a distraction._ "Why not?"

"Finally," Gray spoke, laying his fork down to indicate he was finished with his meal. "We've been trying to get you out of that goddamn apartment forever,"

Lucy sighed but let out a small chuckle. This was good for her.

"Darling, oh my," Juvia gasped. "You completely inhaled your breakfast!"

"Yeah, and I'm still hungry! Can I have your toast?"

"Anything for you my darling!" Juvia swooned, quickly shoving the breakfast item into his face. The entire group burst into laughter. Pretty soon, Gajeel and Levy joined them after Gray picked a fight with Gajeel over some stupid stripper joke.

The mood of the day seemed to lighten after Lucy's decision, but she didn't. Lucy looked on and smiled at her group of friends. She wondered if they all felt the same as her everyday. Waking up exhausted and sweat soaked with tear streaks below her eyes. She wondered if they all threw up a similar facade to hers.

She couldn't help but feel lost. It was like, with him there, she had a train going on to the rest of her life, and she missed it. She just missed it. All the while, he waved to her from the train car she was supposed to get on. She was supposed to be with him. She always was. He waved, with that _stupid_ grin on his face, like he would see her again soon.

Oh how Lucy yearned for that smile. His smile. That stupid, goofy, absolutely breathtaking smile. She wanted to hear his laugh, feel his presence, and touch his hair. _Its just wishful thinking, _Lucy reminded herself. _He never felt the same anyway._

After a while, guild members slowly trickled out from the hall, just a few left scattered about the tables and the bar. Lucy and Erza were left sitting at the table, and everyone else went home.

After a few moments of silence, Erza turned to Lucy. "Did… did it happen again?"

Lucy knew exactly what she was talking about. Erza had been there with her from the beginning, well, a year and a half ago. Erza was the only one Lucy ever really opened up to about Natsu. And ever since the first nightmare, Erza had been right there with her.

Erza, other than Gray, knew Natsu for the longest. The moment she had discovered his departure, she went straight to Lucy. That night, when Lucy trudged back to her apartment, Erza had been by her side. When she had found Lucy in her apartment, Lucy was in a completely dazed state. She was lying on her bad, above the covers, clutching a pillow with her entire body. She wasn't asleep, though, and she wasn't crying either. She just stared ahead, blank-faced. _You goddamn idiot, _Erza thought that night. _How could you do this? The next time I see you, I'm gonna… I'm gonna… _

That night was the very first nightmare.

Erza didn't need words to know the answer. Lucy's face said it all. She sat staring at the table, her jaw clenched. Her brows created small wrinkles in her forehead and she looked as if she were going to cry, but her eyes held no tears. There weren't any left.

Erza put her hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Lucy…"

"I know," Lucy turned her head to Erza. A small, soft smile formed from Lucy's lips. "I would stop it if I could. But don't worry Erza, I know he's not coming back."

With that, Lucy got up from the table and wandered out into the night. Erza watched her leave the guild hall. She didn't know what to do.

. . .

"Hey Natsu," The blue cat turned over to his pink-haired companion next to him. It was late and the two of them managed to find a cave to hunker down in until morning.

"Yeah Happy?" Even given the late-night hours mixed with an action-packed day of fishing and fending off monsters, the two couldn't seem to find sleep.

"When are we going back?"

Natsu stared into the rocky ceiling above him. He didn't answer his exceed right away. He didn't really know the answer himself. "Soon Happy."

"That's what you said half a year ago, Natsu. That's what you said 3 months ago. That's what you said 4 weeks ago. What about everyone at the guild?" Happy's tone rose and caught Natsu off guard. Happy was now flying in front of Natsu, who was now sitting up. "What about Erza? Gray? Wendy? Carla?" Happy paused a second. "Lucy?"

Natsu didn't know what to say. He knew why he left, but he never really told Happy the exact reason. It was to get stronger so he could protect _everyone_ in the guild. Natsu felt it was his obligation, though he wasn't really sure what the word meant. Tartarus was a close call. Much too close of a call. Everyone nearly died, and it was all on his watch. He couldn't stop thinking about Lucy, how he had her hand in his, and he wasn't able to hold on. Maybe, just maybe if he was able to hold on, she would still have Aquarius.

He needed to get stronger. He had to get stronger. If not for the guild, then for her. He couldn't risk anything like that again. He couldn't go back unless he was sure he was ready to protect everyone. To protect her.

After a while of silence, Happy spoke again. "They probably hate us."

That was another reason why he didn't want to go back. How was he supposed to face them? He just up and left, how could they ever forgive him.

"Happy, I'm sorry. It was never supposed to be this long. I just, I can't go back until I know I'm strong enough. I have to be strong enough."

"Natsu!" Happy's harsh tone startled Natsu. "You have always been strong enough! Don't you dare say that!"

A silence fell between the pair. The moon was full that night and its soft glow illuminated the landscape beyond the cave. A small pond glistened nearby. The calming ripples sounded a euphonious hum into the air. A slight breeze drifted through the summer air and made its way into the cave. It was cold.

"Natsu,"

Happy fluttered down from his flighted position and landed just to the right of his companion.

Natsu looked down to the rocky surface below him. His chest heaved up and down steadily, and he could spot small goose bumps forming upon his arms and legs.

"I miss everyone. I miss Lushie."

Natsu didn't hesitate to talk this time. "I miss her too, Happy."

A movement from outside the cave sent Nastu shooting up from the ground and Happy hurrying behind him.

"Stay behind me," Natsu said, but Happy didn't really need to hear it. Natus slowly crept toward the entrance of the cave and peered out.

"Your hair's gotten long," A voice said from behind Natsu. Natsu zipped around to where the mysterious man was. He was gripping Happy in one hand. "I need to talk to you, Natsu."

The figures black hair draped over his face but kept his eyes visible. A small strand poked up from the top of the black fiber. He wore a long cloak with several layers. His eyes pierced Natsu's.

Natsu's voice hardened and his brows furrowed. "Zeref."

_To be continued… _

**Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoyed! I have the second chapter nearly done, so I'll probably upload later this week. I know I suck at schedules, but I'm gonna actually try this time lol. The chapters for my other stories are nearly done as well. Thank you!**

**~Sofi**


	2. Chapter 2: Something Wicked

**Author's Note: Welcome baaaack~ Hope you're excited! Shit about to be spilled! Sorry I'm in a weird mood, but I hope you enjoy!**

**~Sofi**

***DISCLAIMER*  
**_**I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL I AM JUST BORROWING THE CHARACTERS AND SOME PLOT POINTS/EVENTS**_

**Chapter 2: Something Wicked This Way Comes**

"What the hell do you want?" Natsu's voice was stern and menacing. He clenched his fists at his side. He swore he could feel the veins on his arm grow larger.

"I just want to talk." He held the blue exceed with a tight grip around the waist. The flying cat yelped and hissed at the unexpected spark of pain.

Natsu glared at Zeref, him returning the menacing look. Natsu stepped forward, keeping his eyes locked on Zeref. "Let him go, Zeref. Now."

"Only if you promise to talk. _Just_ talk. And I mean with words, not fists." He glanced down to Natsu's hands. Natsu loosened the clench, but he kept his eyes on Zeref.

"Okay, just let Happy go."

With a slight hesitation, Zeref's grip on the feline loosened and Happy flew to Natsu faster than he had ever flown. Well, maybe not max speed, but he was still fast.

Natsu took hold of Happy and looked down at his friend buried in his arms. "Happy, are you okay?" He asked, a slight anxiousness lacing his voice. The feline looked up at Natsu and nodded, but quickly returned his head into his friend's arms. "Now what do you want?"

"I came to warn you."

"Warn me?" _What was he talking about?_ Natsu's inner voice rambled inside of his head. _He's the enemy!_

"Well, not that there's really anything you could do to stop it." Zeref began to circle Natsu, his hands folded neatly behind his back. He suddenly came to a halt once he made it full circle. "It's about your friends. Well, it's about Fairy Tail."

Natsu gulped. _Where is he going with this?_

"I have a plan." Zeref looked out into the foliage surrounding the entrance of the cave. His eyes lingered on the small pond in the distance. "And Fairy Tail is going to help me achieve it."

"What do you mean?" Natsu started, "If you try anything, I'll-"

Zeref held up a hand to silence Natsu. "You recall the Eclipse Gate?"

Natsu thought back. Now, he wasn't good with memories, but this he remembered. The dragons, the games, the whole lot of it. He remembered when he had used his magic too close to the gate. It felt terrible. It felt as though his very life force was draining, or at least what he imagined that to feel like. He remembered how long it had taken them to defeat the dragons, how they had seemed to lose hope in it all. And he remembered Rogue. Future Rogue. He remembered him and how he, standing in the middle of a castle hall, shot a black, wispy arrow toward Lucy. He was going to take her future away. He'd be damned if he would have to ever see her die again.

Natsu gulped again, keeping his anger from these recovered memories at bay. "I do."

"Well, it wasn't the only one."

Natsu's heart started to beat faster. "W-What?"

Zeref chuckled at his younger brother. "Only this one's much worse." A smirk crept its way across Zeref's face and greeted Natsu coldly, the grimace swiftly fading away just as it came. "They're not the same thing, though."

Natsu watched as Zeref paced from one end of the room to the other. He thought he hadn't blinked the entire time. He didn't want Zeref out of his sight, not even for the tiniest nanosecond.

"This gate does not go back in time, or to the future You see Natsu, this gate opens into a new world. A completely different realm. A much, darker one." Zeref pulled an apple from Natsu's bag and bit down into it. "The gate uses a Godly amount of magical power stored in its lacrima to create a rift, a very big one at that. I intend to open it."

"Why the hell would you do that?!" Natsu roared to him, but the dark wizard didn't do as much as flinch.

His gaze grew dark on Natsu. "This world has given me nothing but hate. Every chance at happiness, at love, at light, this world has ripped it away from me. So, I intend to destroy this world, even if it means tearing your precious friends limb from limb to get what I want."

Natsu's heart dropped and he could feel the sweat rolling down the back of his neck. The hair on his arms was on end. Natsu hadn't felt this since just before he had made the decision to leave on his journey with Happy. He was scared. No, this timed he was terrified.

Zeref's features softened slightly, which made the situation that much more unsettling for Natsu. "I'm going for Lumen Histoire," he passed Natsu and wandered to the cave entrance. "I also need that Heaven Mage, I believe you call them, Celestial Wizards?"

With that Natsu lost it. His arms and legs went numb and his breath hitched sharply in his throat.

When he had finally regained composure, Zeref had gone. His breath was shaky and weak.

"Lucy,"

…

"Remind me, Wendy, what does the job we will be taking entail?" Carla and Wendy had been out visiting Porlyusica the next day after informing the Team Nats- the team, of their job. Since then, afternoon turned to evening and the sky beheld a soft indigo glow. The streetlights had turned on and fairy lights illuminated the street as well as they hung from overhang posts and railings. They were now wandering the streets of Magnolia, slowly migrating their way toward the guild.

"Um, there wasn't too much detail on the flyer, but I know the request came from Crocus. There have been a series of robberies near the west end of the capital. The request was sent out by a small shop that had experienced quite a few of them." Wendy informed, her deep blue locks brushing from her face as a warm breeze passed. Summer in Magnolia was absolutely amazing.

As the two inseparable mages turned a corner, up ahead was a bustling crowd. Venders had parked their carts throughout the street and townsfolk were scattered throughout. The smell of sugary sweets and savory foods filtered through the air and greeted Wendy and Carla kindly.

Wendy's eyes widened at Magnolia's festivities. Her feline friend chuckled at her and looked to the streets as well. "Why don't we stop here for a bit, Carla? It could be fun!"

Carla felt a small rumble in her stomach as the scents once again filled her nostrils with their temptation. "I do not see any harm to it," She responded, swiftly morphing into her human form much to the amusement of a few onlookers.

Wendy squealed and clasped her hands. She quickly grabbed the hand of her exceed and hurried into the crowd. It all seemed so amazing to her. She had grown up in seclusion before meeting Natsu and the others and joining Fairy Tail. After all, she did grow up being raised by a dragon and an imaginary guild. Still, she was very grateful to be where she was today. She'd never experienced festivals or events such as this. So many brilliant scents spiked her sensitivity-crazy dragon sense of smell and she didn't mind one bit.

Throughout the evening, the two had tried several delicacies unique to Magnolia and the surrounding towns. Wendy especially loved the shrimp. Because of Hargeon's port right on the ocean and was neighboring Magnolia, the town was trading partners. Magnolia exchanged certain animal products like cloth, cheese, and milk for goods such as seafood and minerals.

"Wendy, I think it to be best to start heading to the guild."

The crowd had since died down, though still very full, and the evening slowly drifted closer to the late hours of night. "Yeah, you're right. I'm exhausted anyway!" Wendy let of a small huff of air and the two headed for Fairy Tail.

A small churn in Wendy's stomach forced her to turn around and face the crowd.

"Wendy, dear, what is it?"

Wendy didn't respond. _Something isn't right, _she thought. _What is this feeling? Why is it so familiar? _The charge of magical energy Wendy felt was so familiar, but she just could not label it.

"Wendy?"

Just as she was about to turn back around, Wendy caught a glimpse of it. Standing amongst the crowd, staring straight at her. The spiky demon stood tall, but none of the townsfolk seemed to see him. _Ezel._

Wendy swiftly rubbed her eyes but, as she opened them up again, the demon was gone. As if he had never been there. Her heart raced as the Sky Dragon Slayer looked around her frantically.

"Wendy! Child, for heaven's sake, what is it?"

Wendy calmed when she could no longer feel the being's immense power. She shook her head. "I-It's nothing Carla, let's go back."

"Okay," Carla retorted suspiciously.

_What was that?!_ Wendy's mind raced. _I must have imagined it. I must have. _

The two hurried to guild, Carla still in the dark.

. . .

Lucy slumped down on her bed and sighed a long, drawn out sigh. She placed to hands to her face. _Jeez, Lucy. Get a hold of yourself._

After hastily exchanging her regular attire for much comfier ones, Lucy tucked herself under the covers.

Her mind wandered for a bit, traveling between various small indecencies and happenings. Nothing interesting. In the cold sheets, resting in her dark room, Lucy felt the ache in her chest grow. She felt alone. So goddamn alone.

She thought back to Aquarius. She had never really had a great relationship with Aquarius, hell it wasn't even semi-decent. She had just been getting along with her, she had just gotten Aquarius to start opening up to her when she was taken from her. Well, she wasn't really taken. After all, she was gone by Lucy's hand.

She knew Aquarius wasn't dead, but the agony of never seeing her again overwhelmed Lucy. The anxiety brought upon Lucy's little heart and mind was normal, almost accustomed, but this situation was different. She had always, always expected Aquarius to be there from day one to the end. Though Lucy's heart ached for her presence, Aquarius was still very much alive.

The same thing couldn't be said for her parents, though. Of course, as everyone in the guild and practically Fiore knows, her mother died when Lucy was at a very young age. She could remember her vividly, though. Lucy's mother, Layla Heartfilia, was a strong, beautiful, graceful, and caring person. When she had died, Layla had left Lucy in the care of her father, who, because of the passing away of Layla, grew cold in resentment and neglected Lucy. Now, all these years later, Lucy had finally built a relationship, a problematic but improving relationship, when Lucy had found about his passing while the guild was trapped on Tenrou Island.

The guilt Lucy had faced upon hearing the harrowing news was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She supposed that is when the voice began speaking.

_Why weren't you there, Lucy?_

_What have you done?_

_You weren't even by his side. Pathetic._

_He died hating you, you know._

But that was a while ago. She hadn't heard the voice for a while after that. She slowly began to forgive herself, but it never truly went away.

The voice started up again around the time Natsu was supposed to be back. The guild grew lively during this time and everybody's hopes skyrocketed.

But, once she realized he probably, most likely wasn't coming back, that voice reminded her every single night.

_He left because of you, why can't you at least try to do anything meaningful with yourself?_

_You're worthless. He never wanted you._

_He's not coming back._

_He's not coming back._

Lucy shifted under the sheets.

_Why did it have to be this way?_ She wondered. Why did every single person she held close just turn around and leave? It must have been her fault, right?

Lucy clenched her eyes shut and muffled a small cry. _You're just meant to be alone, Lucy. Just deal with it. You were always alone._

"It was always more fun… when we were together..."

A small, dull tear trickled down the side of Lucy's face. No sleep tonight.

. . .

"Gray-sama! Your clothes!"

"Goddamnit! When did that happen?!"

Juvia and Gray walked through the town-wide festival in Magnolia. Unfortunately, they did not see Wendy or Carla.

After Tartarus, Gray finally got the hint and asked Juvia out. Juvia, of course flustered and surprised by how direct Gray was, fainted right on the spot. Gray knew this was a yes, though. Along with this relationship came teasing, teasing, and more teasing, but they were happy. They were actually happy together. _I didn't know what I was missing, _Gray thought to himself.

Juvia quickly ushered Gray to an alleyway to redress. "Juvia thinks Gray-sama looks great without clothes on," this earned a small blush from Gray, "but Juvia will not have other women seeing Gray-sama like this!"

"I know, I know, sorry," Gray chuckled, pulling his shirt over his gelled black locks. "It's just a habit. You know what they say, old habits die hard."

"Juvia doesn't blame you." Juvia bent down and planted a tender kiss to Gray's forehead. They held onto each other's eyes for a brief moment before breaking away and joining hands.

"Shall we enjoy the festival while we can?" Gray said, leading Juvia out into the bustling street.

"Juvia would like that very much!"

They ventured through the multi-colored streets together, tasting treats and sweets from street vendors and corner stores. They laughed and enjoyed their evening together, hand in hand. As the evening quickly turned to night, the city's bustle grew with eager families yearning for a nice night out.

The golden glow of the fairy lights strung above the cobblestone pathways illuminated the azure hue that was the water mage's hair. Gray's gaze slowly moved from the elegant fibers and onto her face, which was enjoying a triple-decker ice cream cone topped with whipped cream and a cherry. The lights gave her skin a soft glow and a gentle feel. Her eyes glistened beautifully and her lips curved perfectly, thought Gray. _Absolutely breathtaking._

Something was off. A figure behind Juvia caught Gray's attention. His eyes widened in sheer horror.

"Gray-sama? Is everything alright?" A worried Juvia paused from her momentary feast once she saw the look on Gray's face. She followed his gaze behind her and her expression mirrored his.

Standing amongst the crowd, staring at the unsuspecting couple, was Keyes. The Tartarus Keyes. As the two blinked, he was gone almost as quickly as they had seen him.

The two were left dumbfounded, with nothing but a growing pit in their stomachs and a melting ice cream cone on the cobblestone beneath them.

_To be continued . . ._


	3. Chapter 3: Locus Spell

**Author's Note: Hey guys! I really hope you're enjoying this story as much as I am writing it. Anyway, here's the new chapter! It's a long one so brace yoursleves! And by the way, every spell Zeref uses I've made up and translated into Latin. So if you want, feel free to 'decipher' them to see what they mean! You may have a better understanding of what's going on, too. Anyways, enjoy!**

**~Sofi**

***DISCLAIMER*  
**_**I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL I AM JUST BORROWING THE CHARACTERS AND SOME PLOT POINTS/EVENTS**_

**Chapter 3: Locus Spell**

A gust of wind filled the chamber, which held the weapon Zeref relied on. With this gate, he would bring the world to his feet.

"Turn rursus ad horologiorum, exitium para, potestatem facultatem aperire!" The words rolled from Zeref's lips as the Hell Gate before him began to ominously glow. The room shook and Zeref's chant ceased. His eyes filled with a new sense of understanding. "I see," He uttered, "quite a bit of magic is needed. Not to fret, Fairy Tail will help with that."

He sighed. The dark wizard's gaze travelled up to the center of the enormous gate and fell upon a small empty crystal ball embedded into the doors. "Caelum est sanguis, Heaven's blood. This'll be fun." Zeref chuckled under his breath.

He now turned his attention to an alter on the opposite side of the room. A large black tome sat upon it, decorated with gold ornaments. He waltzed over to the book, flipping through various pages until he found the right one. The page was warn, much like the rest, and, in dark bold letters at the top, held the words "Locus Spell."

Zeref closed his eyes as he focused his energy. "Divinitatem tenebris, et factum me iniustitiam, locus Lumen HIstoire!"

Suddenly, a brilliant purple glow emanated from the book where Zeref's palm rested. He let out an exasperated sigh as he closed the book.

The dark mage closed his eyes for a few moments as he waited. Without warning, an incredible magic pulse exacerbated from around him, from some place far, and gathered at his feet. He opened his eyes and exited the room. He didn't look back.

. . .

A small boy picked up a pitchfork that was leaned against the post of the barn door. He had sandy hair that was pulled back into a loose braid and he had a short stature.

The barn itself was brown and slightly rotting, obviously showing signs of age and weather damage. Outside, fields lined with crops, fences, and grazing cattle greeted the eye. A small but homely cottage rested upon a distant hill, it's lovely white coat and burgundy roof providing some pleasant contrast to the lush green plot.

The boy walked over to hay piled up in the corner after smiling toward a woman grooming a horse in the opposite corner of the barn. "Mornin' mom!"

"Good morning, Edward." The woman replied, returning the smile to her son.

The boy, Edward, pitch fork in hand, began to move hay from one corner of the barn to the entrance. Suddenly, as it from nowhere, a pulse from beneath their feet shook the earth, along with the structure they were in.

Edward was swept off his feet. The woman quickly hurried to help him up, mirroring the same shocked expression.

A man quickly rushed into the barn from the fields. "By the Heavens, Trisha, Edward, are you two alright?"

"I believe so dear, is Alphonse alright as well?" The woman, who had made her way to the man along with Edward, questioned with worry.

"Yes; he's out in the pasture calming down the cattle. What was that?"

"Felt like a magic pulse," Edward chimed, worry lacing his voice. "And a powerful one, too."

"It felt like it came from Magnolia," the woman added, looking off into the distance. Kardia Cathedral's spires could just be seen over the horizon.

. . .

Erza's brown knee-high boots thudded against the cobblestone streets of Magnolia. Bag in hand, she had just come from the marketplace gathering a few ingredients for Mira and was now on her way back to the guild. She had made an extra stop on the way to pick up some strawberry cake - maybe she could cheer Lucy up with a piece, or save one for a certain blue-haired mysterious mister.

As she waltzed through the street, she greeted passerbyers with kind smile after kind smile. She surveyed the apartments and waved to people in windows and fishermen in boats on the canal. One particular apartment building, not too unlike Lucy's, held beautiful flowerbeds of red and blue tulips tucked snuggly in perfectly manicured mulch. The windows that the flowerbeds occupied reminded Erza of their late friend group, and how the two hot-headed boys always refused to use the door. Lucy's reaction was always worth it, though. The entire scene gave the mage a sense of sad comfort.

Erza spotted a bench along the canal and decided to stop for a few moments. Once she had reached the bench, she gently placed the bag onto the wooden seat and plopped down beside it. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, her scarlet hair nearly reaching the ground on the opposite side of the bench. The warmth of the summer sun warmed her skin. _I'd almost forgotten what it feels like to relax._

After basking in the sun for but a few seconds, Erza's mind wandered in between thoughts. _So much has happened these past years . . . Tartarus, Juvia and Gray, Lucy . . . Natsu. _

"I'm gonna give him the worst ass beating he's ever had to endure as soon as he gets back," Erza mumbled. She gave a small chuckle to herself. As much as she resented him for what he had done, especially to Lucy, Erza missed him. Everyone did. The guild was not the same anymore, it's spark had long since ceased when Natsu hadn't come back. _You idiot, why aren't you back yet?_

Erza tilted her head forward and slowly pulled her knees up onto the bench and to her chest. Her thoughts drifted to a man with sapphire hair and a stern yet comforting look in his eyes. Erza could feel small tears tugging at her eyes, but she held them back. "Oh Jellal… where are you?"

An immense magic aura emanated from behind Titania. Her thoughts halted as she quickly stood up and turned around. There, standing face to face with the Queen of Fairies, was Kyoka. A shrill chill ran up Erza's back as her hands shook just the slightest.

Erza's memories flooded her head. The shock. The pain. The immense pain. She gulped

"How are you here?!" Erza shouted at the foe, but Kyoka remained silent. "Answer me, demon!"

No response. Erza quickly gulped back her fear and took her battle stance. All the while Kyoka stayed silent and smiling.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the earth shook beneath Erza. She managed to keep her stance and avoided falling down onto the cobblestone street. "A magic… pulse?"

Her attention was immediately directed to the guild off in the distance, where the strange sensation seemed to come from. "From Fairy Tail?"

Just as the quake came, it retreated outward, away from Magnolia and the guild. After a short pause, Erza quickly turned to face Kyoka, but she was gone.

Erza rubbed her eyes. _What the hell is going on here?_

Once she regained composure, Erza made a b-line for the guild. She _almost_ forgot the bag of groceries sitting upon the bench.

. . .

Once Erza reached the guild, she burst through the doors. "Is everyone alright?! What was that?!"

"We don't know," Gray chimed from a table near the bar. "We were just talking about it, actually."

"The entire city felt it, I believe," Erza responded, wiping some sweat from her forehead and nearing the group of mages.

"Levy's workin' on it," Gajeel explained, gesturing toward a focused Levy speed reading several different books at once.

"I have know idea what it was, maybe just a magic quake?" Levy's brow furrowed. "It's rare, but they happen. It's when the magic concentration in the earth becomes too much and, all at once, it pushes away from itself. It's usually not at such a magnitude as the one just happened, though."

"Do you think it's something we should be worried about?" Wendy asked with a growing pit in her stomach.

"Do not fret, my children," Makarov's voice boomed throughout the guild hall as all heads turned to his position beside Mira atop the bar. "I am positive nothing has happened, many unexplainable events such as this have happened throughout Magnolia and Fiore. There is no need to work yourselves over this matter."

Many of the guild members exchanged looks of confusion with one another. Levy looked up from her reading. "But Master, we-"

Master hopped down from the bar and stroked his very envied and very gray beard. "Go one back to your banter. I'm sure nothing is wrong."

"Master!" Erza shouted, but he remained silent, eyes closed.

There was a brief moment of silence and suspicion before everyone hesitantly transitioned back to normal conversation. "The hell was all that about?" Gajeel voiced from next to Levy as he helped her gather the books that now had no use.

"I'm not sure," Erza responded. She took a seat next to Gray at the table and turned her head towards the Master. She eyed him as he exited to the back of the guild hall. "But I don't like the sound of it."

"A bit suspicious if you ask me, huh?" Gray voiced as Juvia took a seat on the other side of him.

"Indeed it does," Carla agreed.

They slowly eased back into common day-to-day talks mixed in with a few friendly insults, but still holding onto that unsettling linger of what just happened. Just what was wrong with Master?

. . .

Master Makarov's steps echoed through the winding staircase as he made his way below ground and beneath the guild. The staircase looked ancient, built with crumbling stone and decaying plaster. Rustic torches were displayed along the wall following the stairs allowing for a dim light to illuminate the path. Some vines had made their way through the cracks in the rock, and some had even begun to blossom flowers. With a soft yellow glow in the air, the whole scene made for a beautifully eerie depiction.

Now Master was no weakling, but he could feel his limbs grow tired. His lungs heaved and he huffed. _I'm gettin' too old for this._

Master quickly made his way to the bottom of the steps where, after a few turns down a few corridors, he made his way to an enormous room. In the center, a large crystal protruding from the ground emanated a soft violet glow.

The room itself would have been pitch black if not for the light emanating from the marvelous crystal. A small figure could be scene within the crystal, a girl, no older than 23. She had no clothes on, her petite figure being covered by her magnificent hair. Starting from her head, the beautiful pale yellow locks fell all the way to her knees. The texture seemed wavy and fluffy, with her bangs falling in the center of her forehead. One small tuft of hair poked up from the top of her head. At each side of her head, just above her ears, were white wing-like accessories. She looked as if she were an angel.

Master walked up to the violet-tinted chrysalis. "Just as I thought… Mavis, I'm sorry..." His gaze traversed to her face and up to her forehead. Just above her closed eyes and eyebrows, a small, bleeding cut had appeared. "That means… Someone's trying to find you…"

Master Makarov sighed and stroked his beard once again. "Dammit, Zeref. If this is you, you've really done it this time."

He made his way back to the staircase, leaving the bleeding girl and her shell. _This is going to be the fight of our lives. Are we ready? Natsu… you better get that idiotic ass back here soon. _With that thought, Fairy Tail's Master had reached the top of the stairs, heading up to his room on the top floor without being scene.

. . .

Lucy was on her way back to her apartment after stopping at the marketplace to pick up a few things. She hadn't realized how long she had been out and it was quite late now. While at the market, she picked up eggs, milk, a variety of fruits and vegetables, and some fish she thought she might like to have for dinner. She had also quickly stopped in a clothing store and purchased a pink scarf for the next season. Oh, excuse me, _salmon._

The celestial wizard sighed. She had to admit, each day was getting a little better. Of course, she still constantly thought about him, his hair, his piercing green eyes, his big, toothy grin, but day by day, the ache grew smaller. It was a very, very, small miniscule change, but it was there.

Lucy had reached her apartment and entered the main doors. She trudged up the wooden stairs, creeks sounding throughout the building with every step. Lucy reached her apartment door and fiddled with her keys before clumsily dropping them onto the floor. _Dammit, Lucy._ She mentally kicked herself. As Lucy picked up the noisy ring, an unsettling aura filled the air around her. She quickly entered her home.

Once the mage had entered, she put the bag on her kitchen counter and plopped down onto her bed with a heavy sigh. The pillow welcomed her with open arms and she was completely and totally willing to jump into them. After her brief moment of comfort, the unsettling feeling returned. She sat up in her bed, getting the sudden urge to look out her window.

She scooted to her window and opened it, but was hesitant to look out. Her eyes drifted to the window sill where she saw two black scuffs on the wood. She stared longingly at them for a few moments, seemingly in deep thought. She quickly shook it off, though, leaning out the window and down to the front of the apartment building.

A shrill chill ran up her spine as her eyes rested upon the source of the strange aura. And he was staring right back at her, a smile plastered onto his hideous face. _Jackal._

Lucy's breath hitched as a sharp pain seemed to resonate in her leg for a swift moment. She quickly got up and away from the window, backing into her desk. Several bottles fell and shattered on the floor, colorless and colorful liquids seeping into her carpet. Books toppled to the floor as well.

"Hey! Keep it down in there!"

Lucy's head started to spin. _What the hell?!_

Lucy regained composure and slowly tiptoed to the window. As she reached her bed, though, something caught her off guard. The room shook and Lucy was swept off her feet. She hit the floor with a large thud as several picture frames and books fell onto the floor. A rush of magic filled Lucy as the rumble went on. Just as the quake came, it vanished.

Lucy got up slowly. "Ugh… what the hell was that? Some sort of quake?" She was sure the entirety of Magnolia felt it, and it seemed to come from Fairy Tail. She made her way to the window and looked down. No Jackal. "Hey! Where did you go?"

"I said keep it down!"

Lucy paced the living room, her thoughts multiplying every minute. She was trying to piece everything together. _We beat Tartarus, why are they back? And that quake? Right after seeing Jackal? That's no coincidence. And it seemed to come from Fairy Tail…_

Lucy was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a sharp pain on her forehead. She rushed to her vanity and surveyed her face. Just above her left eyebrow was a cut. A trail of ruby red blood trickled from the injury and down the side of her face. _The hell?!_

Lucy grabbed a damp cloth and held it up to the cut. After a few moments, she applied a small white bandage to the cut. "Maybe… maybe I should just go to bed for now."

She climbed into bed and snuggled up into her comforter, not even bothering to change. She found it quite difficult to sleep that night, her head spinning with hundreds of thoughts. And she was cold. Quite noticeably cold.

. . .

"Are you almost ready Natsu?"

Natsu and Happy were in the cave, gathering several things scattered about. After staying a night and thinking of what to do about Zeref, they ultimately decided they had to head back to Fairy Tail. Natsu was a bit hesitant at first, but thought it best. After all, he didn't train for the last year and a half just to not show off his new skills. He wanted so badly to kick Laxus, Erza, and Gray's ass when he got back, and besides, what Zeref said was definitely not to be taken lightly. He didn't just train to be the strongest; he wanted to be able to protect everyone. Anyways, Lucy would need him, even if she resented him at the moment.

"Yeah Happy. Let's head out."

There was a town about 2 miles away that they could catch a train to Crocus at. From there, they'd head to Magnolia. As they were about to exit the cave, Natsu stopped.

"Natsu? What's up?"

"Something's not right. There's magic in the air."

"Is it ba-"

Suddenly, the ground shook with magic energy beneath Natsu's feet. Happy could feel the pressure in the air as he hovered and was thrown to the ground. Natsu quickly ran to his blue companion as the pulse ceased.

"Uh… huh? What happened?"

"I'm not sure, felt like a pulse or somethin'." Natsu replied, looking around nervously.

"Well, we should get going anyways." Happy picked up his bag and exited the cave and onto a dirt path, Natsu in tow.

Natsu's thoughts raced. He hoped that had nothing to do with Zeref. Natsu looked up as he heard a crunch in front of him. Happy was eating food from their rations.

"Hey! Just what do you think you're doing, cat?"

"What? You ate all my food last night!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!" Nastu stomped his foot on the ground in annoyance.

"Waaaa~! Why do you have to be so mean Natsu!" Happy cried, hovering higher.

"I am not! If you're eating, I get some!"

"No you'll eat it all!"

"So will you!"

Happy flew down the path, Natsu chasing after him. Flames poured from his mouth as he followed the feline. They would get to town quicker than originally planned.

_To be continued . . ._

**Author's Note: Hiya! Hope you liked this chapter, I added the bickering between Natsu and Happy at the end 'cause I feel like this story was missing some Natsu humor lol. Promise there will be more when he gets back to Fairy Tail! Anyways, I'm gonna work on the next chapter, see ya!**

**~Sofi**


	4. Chapter 4: Shared Paranoia

**Author's Note: Hi! Welcome back, I noticed on of you asked about the FMA cameo, and I just thought it was a cool thing I'd add in there just to make the scene more interesting. It won't have any play on the story whatsoever, just something fun I added in, sorry if it was a bit confusing. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!**

**~Sofi**

***DISCLAIMER*  
**_**I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL I AM JUST BORROWING THE CHARACTERS AND SOME PLOT POINTS/EVENTS**_

**Chapter 4: Shared Paranoia**

It was a cloudy day when Wendy walked into the Fairy Tail guild hall, a dramatic change from the bright, sunny day that came before. The air around her made her feel uncomfortable for some reason. "Child, are you alright?" Carla asked, hovering beside the young dragon slayer.

"Yeah, the guild just feels a bit off." Wendy replied, giving her feline friend a small grin. The bluenette felt uneasy as she smiled and nodded at Mira before heading to the table where her fellow guild mates were.

"What's up, guys?" Wendy said, taking a seat beside Lucy at the wooden table. Next to Lucy was Erza, and next to her Levy. On the other side sat Gray across from Lucy, Juvia beside him, and Panther Lily on the table. Gajeel stood next to Levy, his hand rested on the back of her seat.

"Not much," Lucy replied, patting the young mage's head. "You?"

"I'm good, the guild just feels a bit weird today, don't you think so?" Wendy responded. The group fell into a suspicious silence. Wendy's face contorted into confusion.

Juvia looked down. "Actually, umm…"

"Juvia!" Erza said, giving the water mage a stern look. Juvia quivered a bit under the scarlet haired girl's gaze.

Gray sighed and put a hand on Juvia's shoulder. She seemed to settle down. "It's ok. It's ok, Erza."

"What is going on? Will someone please tell me?" Wendy's voice rose and her demeanor turned to that of seriousness, surprising the group. Carla flew down onto the table, mirroring the young girl's look.

Erza sighed and crossed her arms. "Sorry Wendy, we'll tell you. We just didn't want to scare you."

"What? Scare me?" Wendy settled down a bit, now.

"We umm… We all, saw some things…" Levy spoke, turning to each person in the group.

"Like… Like what?" Wendy was intrigued now. Well, if they were talking about what she thought they were talking about.

Lucy looked at her breakfast in front of her. "Like… Jackal. We saw Tartarus, Wendy." Her eyes never left the plate of half-eaten waffles and fruit on the table in front of her.

"You guys too?!" Wendy was now stood up, arms outstretched onto the table. A shocked and fearful expression was plastered onto her face.

"So… It wasn't just you, child." Carla rubbed her chin, thinking hard. Shortly after Wendy's encounter, she thought it best for Carla to know about it. Hiding it wouldn't do any good, anyways.

"Wendy, you saw someone too?" Erza turned to Wendy, mirroring her worry. "Who?"

Wendy sat back down into the bench. "Ezel…"

"Why are they back? We defeated them!" Levy spoke, small tears threatening to escape her eyes. Gajeel placed a hand on her shoulder. "Me n' Levy saw Torafuzar out back behind the guild, Erza saw Kyoka, and Gray n' Juvia saw Keyes. 'The hell do ya guys think is going on?"

"Not sure…" Lucy still hadn't looked up. She seemed to be thinking hard. "You think it has something to do with that earthquake yesterday?"

"Could be," Erza responded. "Or what Master is hiding…"

Lucy looked up, distracted from her thoughts. "Wait, what?"

"Yesterday, after the quake happened, Master tried to play the whole thing off as if it didn't matter at all. It was all really strange." Gray said, sipping a golden, bubbly liquid from the mug in front of him. Lucy looked stunned. She hadn't been at the guild yesterday and had missed Master's suspicious behavior. Gray set the drink down with a small thud and punched his fists together. "Whatever it is, I sure hope we get a good fight out of it."

"You got that right, Snow Queen. Geehee." Gajeel shared an evil, toothy grin with the ice mage.

Erza crossed her arms over her chest. "We all need to keep an eye out. This is no coincidence, and it could be very, very dangerous. Everybody got that?" Each person nodded, not willing to invoke the wrath of the mighty Titania. "We'll keep this on the down low for now."

"Well, on that note…" Wendy said, pulling a pamphlet out from her pocket. "I forgot to fill you all in on the mission!"

"Thanks, Wendy. What do we need to do?" Lucy exclaimed, scooting closer to the bluenette and eyeing the job request.

"It's in Web Valley, just southeast of Magnolia, so it's not too far. Just about as far as Hargeon, actually." Wendy scanned over the faded yellow parchment in her hands. "Some delinquents stole a cursed book form the library there and unleashed a few dark wizards, so we'll need to retrieve the book and trap them back inside. Everything sound good guys?"

"Yes, Juvia thanks you!" Juvia said, smiling sweetly at her fellow blue head.

"Mind if we join?" Levy said, implying her, Gajeel, and Panther Lily.

"The more, the merrier!" Wendy replied.

"Oh great, now this sack of steel has to tag along?" Gray said, rolling his eyes so far back he could have seen his brain.

"Hey, you perverted ice cube! You need me! And it's _iron, _not steel!"

"Oh do I? Last time I checked, you couldn't even beat Sting and Rogue!"

"Well that wasn't me fault, bastard!"

The two hot-headed mages were now on their feet, shouting insult after insult at each other. Juvia sprung up in front of Gray. "Nobody shames my Gray-sama!"

"Ain't nobody gonna talk like that to me either! Tell 'em, Levy!" Gajeel swiftly lifted Levy from the back of her orange colored dress and held her out in front of him.

"Seriously Gajeel? Put me down!" Levy squirmed under his grasp to touch the ground, but was inevitably unsuccessful.

Erza's left eye twitched. She rubbed her brows. "Not today…" She mumbled. The redhead got up from her seat and headed over by the bar to talk to Mira. Also to presumably get a drink.

Wendy and Lucy looked on and giggled. Lucy sighed and turned to Wendy, starting a conversation about enchantments or the job or some other mundane topic. The ache in her heart grew a little smaller.

. . .

Gray waved to Mira as he exited the guild hall. Juvia was finishing up a conversation with the take-over mage and he had said he was going to wait outside for her. He slowly pushed open the doors and stepped out into the warm summer night.

The ice mage turned to the side and noticed Lucy sitting on a bench outside the guild hall. She was staring at the stars in the sky, swimming deep in thought.

Gray tilted his head and sighed. He made his way over to her, sitting down on the bench beside her. "Whatcha up to?"

She looked glanced at her friend and then returned her gaze up to the sky. "Oh nothing, just stargazing." The sky was brilliant tonight. The clouds from earlier seemed to have dissipated to make room for the absolutely stunning scene.. It was completely clear, with nearly every glimmering star in the universe visible to mankind.

There was a small pause between the two as they both surveyed the cosmos above them. "You know," Gray started, "I never asked how you got that cut on your forehead."

Lucy instinctively touched the bandaid adhered to her forehead. "Oh this… I got it during the quake… I, I fell and hit my head." She smiled to herself, playing it off as best as she could.

Gray chuckled. He parted his lips as if to say something, but he paused for a moment. He was trying to think of the right words. He never really opened up to people, but Lucy was an exception. She was one of the closest friends he had. "I-I know I act all cool all the time, but this honestly really scares me."

"What does?"

"This whole Tartarus thing. That was way too close." Both continued looking at the twinkling lights, eyes locked on the scene.

"I am too." Lucy replied. "To think of something happening like that again, I…" Visions of Aquarius, Jackal, and Natsu's hand reaching out to her whizzed through Lucy's mind. She sighed. "I think it's gonna be ok, though. We beat them before, right? Who says we can't do it again?"

He grinned. Even though, Gray noticed the distress in her voice. "Hey, maybe this'll bring Natsu out of hiding."

Lucy's head turned to Gray, eyes wide.

He looked over to Lucy with a small smile. "He's out there, Lucy, I know it. So please, for the sake of Fairy Tail, don't lose hope."

Her mouth was parted as if to say something, and her brows furrowed. After a quick moment, she closed her mouth. She wrapped her arms around Gray and gave him a tight embrace.

He looked surprised for a moment, but he returned the hug. They sat like that for a bit. Complete peace. Complete gratitude.

After awhile, they broke the hug. Lucy gave the most genuine smile she had given in a long time to the ice mage. "Thank you, Gray."

"You too, Lucy." He smiled back at the celestial mage as the guild hall doors opened. He got up from the bench and greeted who he knew would be at the door.

"Gray-sama? Why are you talking with Love Rival!"

"It's nothing, Juvs. I'll tell you about it later." He intertwined his finger with the water mage's and turned back to Lucy. "'Night, Lucy. Don't forget what I said."

"I won't. Goodnight Gray, Juvia."

"Goodnight, _Love Rival._" Juvia glared at Lucy and turned away with Gray.

Lucy chuckled at what she knew Gray would have to endure that night. As they walked down the cobblestone street away from the guild, Lucy smiled at the pair. A small, silver tear, tinted by the moon, fell down her cheek.

Lucy gently felt her cheek, and quickly rubbed away the tear. She got up from the bench and began walking in the direction of her apartment building, silver and gold keys jingling from her key ring on her belt.

She looked back at the guild hall, her eyes traveling up to the magnificent flag at the top. This time, instead of frowning, Lucy smiled.

. . .

Fairy Tail seemed to be quite lively. As the celestial mage approached the grand double doors, shouts and laughs could be heard from the other side. She also took a glance at the sky. Unlike the day before, the weather was absolutely beautiful. _Man, Fiore sure has weird weather, _Lucy thought as she pushed open the doors to find out just what was going on.

Her heart raced a bit. She couldn't help it, but she could only think of one logical conclusion why everyone was so happy. _Is… Is he… _

She made her way to what, or, more specifically, _who_ everyone was crowding around. As she looked on, she was completely surprised to see - two people she had never seen in her life. She let out a loud huff that ended up being muffled by everyone's banter. Lucy didn't know whether to be relieved or upset. Maybe it was both.

She turned to Levy. "Morning, Levy? Mind telling me what's going on here?"

"Oh hey Lu-chan!" Levy turned to her, grabbing both her hands in hers. "New people decided to join the guild! Isn't that exciting? These two passed the entrance exams!"

Lucy was pleasantly surprised. "That's awesome, Levy!" It had been a while since new wizards were actually able to join the guild. Most didn't pass the third test, which was sparring with Erza to see how long they could last. They usually lasted about 5 seconds.

Lucy turned her attention back to the strangers in the center of the circle. One was a boy and one was a girl, both Lucy's age. Though, the girl was a bit taller. The boy's skin had a darker, caramel-like tone to it, and his hair was dark brown. It looked rather fluffy, smooth at the top and feathering out at the sides of his head by his ears. On his feet were brown sandals with silver buckles. He wore baggy, beige pants and a simple white t-shirt. Around his neck was a large, dark blue scarf. It was much looser and baggier than Natsu's and, peeking out from beneath the dark fabric, was a silver necklace with a purple gem attached to the end. Lucy thought it looked like an amethyst.

The girl, who, again, was rather tall, was fair skinned, with no noticeable blemishes. Her hair was long and dark, like the color of a raven. It looked shiny and soft as silk. A small strip was tucked behind her left ear, revealing her brilliantly purple eyes. They were breathtakingly beautiful, and they seemed to pierce Lucy's soul. Not in a bad way, though. She wore knee-high black boots with no buckles or clasps. She wore a simple white lace dress with a blue belt that seemed to match her hair. Clasped around her neck was a long, flowing cape that reached her ankles. It was black with white lace trim to match her dress. Around her wrist was a thin silver bracelet with a treble clef charm. _Pretty, _Lucy thought to herself.

The pair, seemingly already to know each other, were going around the circle meeting their new guild mates. Right now, they were at Alzack and Bisca, a few people down from Lucy and Levy, and were heading their direction. She watched as the boy bopped little Asuka on the nose, the girl chuckling. The girl seemed shy, the boy being the outgoing one.

Soon enough, the two made their way to Lucy and Levy. "Hi," Levy started, "I'm Levy! This is Lucy, or Lu-chan for short."

"Good to meet ya! I'm Jishin, and this over here is my friend, Karasu." The boy exclaimed, grinning with the toothiest grin Lucy had seen in a while.

Karasu tilted her head and waved. "H-hi, it's a pleasure to meet you." He sentence dragged off at the end, ending up barely audible to Lucy.

"Nice to meet you too!" Lucy replied, returning Jishin a smile. "What kind of magic do you two use?"

"I'm a dragon slayer!" Jishin said proudly, hands on hips. Karasu playfully rolled her eyes in the background.

"R-really?" Lucy said, seemingly too shocked. Jishin reminded her so much of him. "What kind?"

"Earth! Though, my dragon, Chikyu, she died before my training was finished." Jishin looked down and scratched the back of his head. "But! I trained hard and was able to finish my training on my own. I'm gonna be the greatest dragon slayer Fiore has ever seen!"

_Well good luck with that, _Lucy said, feeling a bit bad for Jishin. _I wonder how Natsu's gonna react if- when, he meets Jishin. _

"Karasu uses song magic," Jishin said, pulling Karasu closer. "It's pretty neat!" Karasu's cheeks flushed at that, unnoticed by Jishin.

"W-what kind of magic do you two use?" Karasu asked, stepping a bit closer to Lucy and Levy, seemingly a bit more confident.

"I'm use solid script magic! Not that common, I know," Levy giggled.

"I'm a celestial mage," Lucy added, pulling out her keys from her belt. "I have 10 out of the 12 Zodiac Keys, my friend Ukino over at Sabertooth has the other two. I also have 5 silver keys."

"My m-mother was a celestial mage," Karasu smiled, "I got my dad's magic th-though,"

"That's awesome! Maybe you could tell me about her sometime?" Lucy said, returning the keys to her belt.

Karasu nodded and smiled. With that the two left to meet the rest of the guild. Lucy smiled. She hadn't felt this happy in a while, and it was a nice change. She couldn't get the thought of the similarities between Jishin and Natsu out of her head though.

The celestial mage looked up to the rafters. _You better hurry up, Natsu. Please, before I get over you. _

. . .

Somewhere, Zeref appeared at the gate once more. He held his pale hand out in front of it. "Strenuus portal, trigger ianuam!"

The ground quivered a bit, and the gate seemed to hum. A strange red glow emanated from the Hell Gate. After a few moments, the gate continued to glow and hum, signaling its activation.

"6 days," Zeref mumbled. "In 6 days time, you better be ready. Your days are numbered Fairy Tail."

With that, Zeref exited the chamber once again. Everything was going according to plan.

. . .

It was about noon the next day when Natsu and Happy arrived at Crocus. They had taken a train from Dawn City to Gallowstown, and then finally the Capital. This was much to the distaste of Natsu, who almost flooded the train car with vomit without Wendy's troia spell.

They decided to stop and eat before departing since they had time until the train arrived. As the two wandered the streets of Fiore's massive capital city, they had decided to stop at a small cafe near the train station. They didn't have a lot of money, so they couldn't splurge on food this time. Natsu would definitely have Lucy take him out for lunch when they got back.

Natsu had ordered 2 chicken legs along with a chicken breast, and Happy ordered a large king crab. It was new for Happy, but he enjoyed this new variety of seafood. Of course, nothing would ever beat a nice, slimy fish.

They had been seated at a window table with a great view of the castle. Natsu glanced out the window. Memories of the Eclipse Gate flashed in his mind. If this new gate was even close to that, then they were in for a lot of trouble. _Well… We beat it once, didn't we?_

Natsu sighed. He had finished all of his food, but, of course, he was still hungry. Happy had also finished his meal, and now Natsu was waiting for his feline friend to return from the bathroom.

The dragon slayer leaned back in the booth and rubbed his temples. He was definitely excited to return home, but extremely nervous, too. He knew his friends would forgive him, but Lucy? How would she take it? He just up and left.

Natsu looked up at the rafters. _Just wait for me, Lucy. Just wait a little longer._

_To be continued… _

**Author's Note: Hey guys, hope you liked the chapter! I've been working really hard on this story and I think it's paying off. I've been trying to get into writing my Riverdale story, but I can't get into right now. I'm sorry about that, but the Riverdale story is not cancelled, just postponed. Well anyway, stay tuned for chapter 5! Wow only chapter 5, I feel like so much has happened! Anyways, bye!**

_**Special thanks to FireShifter for all the amazing reviews! Your a major motivation for this story. :)**_

**~Sofi**


	5. Chapter 5: Surfaced Trauma

**Author's Note: Hey guys, welcome back! Sorry I've been gone for a bit, school started for me, and I've got 3 hour volleyball practices after school on top of homework. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

**~TRR**

***DISCLAIMER*  
**_**I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL I AM JUST BORROWING THE CHARACTERS AND SOME PLOT POINTS/EVENTS**_

**Chapter 5: Surfaced Trauma**

It was about 8 in the morning when Lucy arrived at the guild hall. After a sleepless night, she was a bit exhausted, but she put on her best face.

Once Lucy entered through the grand double doors, she spotted her friends over at the bar chatting with Mira. She waltzed over to the group, going over the day's plan in her mind. They would leave for the train station in about an hour to begin their mission, and they would get to the location for the job in the early hours of the next day's morning. They would have to deal with Gajeel gagging the entire way, though maybe Levy could help with that. That thought sent a small smile to Lucy's glossed lips.

"Morning guys," Lucy said, scooting herself onto a bar stool beside Gray.

"Sup Lu-chan, you ready for the job?" Levy said from the opposite side of her as Gray, taking a final sip of the water she had been drinking before Lucy had arrived.

"Yeah, it'll be nice to get out for a bit." Lucy chuckled.

"Morning Lucy! Can I getcha anything?" Mira smiled, walking up to her from behind the counter.

"Actually, yes. One Strawberry Shake please, extra whipped cream."

"Comin' right up!" With that, the take-over mage grabbed a few finished plates from the bar and turned to the kitchen.

Gray looked over to Lucy. "Man, you look like hell."

Lucy gasped at his sudden remark. "Well good morning to you too!"

Gray chuckled and crossed his arms. "You haven't forgotten what I told you, right?"

"Of course not," She said, giving the ice mage a reassuring smile. And it was true, she hadn't forgotten what he said. Hell, it was one of the only things she was holding onto. But she did have to admit, it was really hard to keep holding onto. Erza walked up to the two, followed by Juvia.

"You ready to get back into the swing of things Lucy?" Erza exclaimed, resting her hands on her hips. She had decided to put on a new set of armor today, thought it was not drastically different from her usual attire. The armor she wore was the exact same style, all except for the color. Her chest plate was golden, and it was paired with a red skirt to match the shade of her hair rather than a blue one. Her long, scarlet hair was down per usual.

"Yup!" Lucy responded, grinning wide. "Though no fighting until tomorrow, my spirits have an annual Celestial Realm Festival, so I brought along my whip." Lucy's hand traveled to her hip, but her skin was only met with the fabric of her pleated cotton skirt. "My whip!"

Lucy looked down to her side. Then her other side. _Damnit, _she thought. "I must have forgot it while getting dressed…" Lucy scratched the back of her head, disappointed in her stupidity.

"No worries Love Rival!" Juvia piped. She had since moved from her position beside Erza to Gray. "Juvia thinks you will have time to retrieve you whip before leaving."

"You think so?" Lucy questioned, turning to Erza.

"Yes, we have plenty of time, just meet back here quickly." Erza replied crossing her arms over her chest. "If it is your only means of weaponry, it is crucial you bring it in case of any and all mishaps."

"Thank you, Erza." Lucy stood from the stool and bowed to the mage. "I won't be long!"

"Love- Lucy, wait a minute!" Juvia said, grasping Lucy's had.

Juvia pulled her aside, away from the other guild mates. "Is everything alright?" Lucy asked, a quizzical expression making its way onto her face.

"Yes, well… Gray-sama has informed Juvia of what happened last night outside Fairy Tail." Lucy listened intently to the water mage before her. "And well… I just wanted to say I think the same way is Gray-sama."

"Huh?" Lucy said, the confusion very evident in her face now.

"Please don't lose hope, Lucy. Fairy Tail still needs you."

Lucy was at a loss for words. She hadn't fully realized just how much her sulking had worried her friends and fellow guild mates. She felt an odd sense of guilt from Juvia's words, but also hope. She gave Juvia a genuine smile, nodding her head in reassurance.

Juvia returned the smile and let go of Lucy's hand, turning back to the bar and walking over to Gray.

With that, Lucy turned and trotted out of the guild. Once she exited the door, she turned the corner and hurried to her apartment.

. . .

The celestial mage scurried through the cobblestone streets of Magnolia, whizzing past townsfolk and tourists. Her brown thigh-high boots clicked roughly against the uneven stone beneath her feet, causing Lucy to falter several times.

She turned corner after corner, not forgetting to wave to the friendly fishermen rowing down the canal. Her apartment was about a 15 minute walk, but she didn't want to keep her friends waiting long at guild. She already felt embarrassed enough as it was that she forgot her whip, Lucy didn't want to be late on top of that.

Lucy's pace quickened into a jog. Her long, iconic side ponytail bobbed back and forth with the movement, frizzing the blonde's hair just a bit. She was almost to her house, just one more turn.

As she reached the bend, she turned the corner and - _Wham!_

Lucy felt a sudden and pounding pain resonate from her temple. "Ow…" She muttered, rubbing the area of impact. When her eyes fluttered open, she was sprawled onto the cobblestone. Her behind pounded bit as well, weary from the collision with the stone.

"Lucy?"

Lucy's heart stopped. This voice. No. It can't be - It's not. Lucy didn't want to look up. Her hand trembled from there placement on either side of her.

"Is that you? Well, what an unexpected surprise."

The celestial mage slowly lifted her head. Her wide eyes met the man before her. He was a well toned man, no taller than Gray or Natsu. His hair was like Jellal's, except the man's held a more natural brown tone. He wore a simple white button-up shirt with a black pair of jeans and black dress shoes. A rather expensive-looking lacrimaic (This is a word I made I up to describe modern-ish technology in lacrima form, so bare with me. Pronounced La-kri-MAY-ick) watch hung around his wrist as he put his hands on his hips.

Lucy's speech stuttered. "J-Jin… "

The man, apparently named Jin, took a step forward. As he did this, Lucy crawled back, still not up from her position on the ground. Noticing as he got even closer, the blonde got up quickly and continued to inch back. Jin chuckled. "This is how you greet an old friend?"

Memories stormed Lucy's mind. His hands, how cold they were. How incredibly uncomfortable. The broken picture frame. It was months ago, but Lucy forgot _nothing._

Lucy had met Jin about 10 months ago. After they had exchanged a few words at an old magic shop, they began to go on dates. Lucy was having a wonderful time, and Jin seemed like a great guy. He _almost_ made her forget about Natsu, or at least get over him. After about the 6th or 7th date and about a month of seeing each other, Jin asked Lucy to be his girlfriend, which she excitedly agreed to. Though, her friends at the guild didn't seem to trust him. It wasn't long after that when things took a turn for the worst.

Jin began to physically abuse Lucy. At first, it was little stuff, like forcefully grabbing her wrist or slight shoving, but it turned into so much more. Slapping, kicking, you name it,

Lucy felt trapped. He threatened to kill her or her loved ones if she tried to leave him. He was a rather powerful mage, almost rivaling Gray, but he wasn't in any guild. He made it seem like he needed her.

It was one fateful day at the guild when Jin was there with Lucy and he lost his temper. He straight up slapped her, in the middle of the guild, for nothing but a spilled drink. After that, Gray punched him square in the face, and Erza dragged him out of the guild, Gray in tow, as Levy, Mira, and several other Fairy Tail maidens comforted Lucy.

She had revealed everything about the abuse to her friends after that. She did keep secret, however, something he had done to her but a few nights before. Nothing came from it, fortunately, but she was never the same after that night. It was one of the most terrifying, most disgusting things she's had to endure. I bet you can guess what happened.

That night, as he exited her apartment, Lucy didn't know what to do. She lay there, eyes wide, lips trembling, trying to catch her shaky breath. She got up, took a shower, put on some pajamas, and tried to go to sleep. She tried numerous times to reach over and grab the scarf she knew wouldn't be there, but she kept the window unlocked. Just in case. All night, all she could do was cry.

After Erza dragged him from Fairy Tail though, he had never come back, or tried to. Until now, that is.

Lucy was terrified. Her head was screaming for her to run, but fear ultimately overtook her and would only allow small movements away. She hadn't realized how much that last time had really affected her. She did not want it to happen again, but she was panicking. _Damnit, Lucy! Move!_

"Aww, leaving so soon?" Jin suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. "We haven't even had fun yet!"

As soon as he finished his sentence, Lucy's fight or flight suddenly sprung into action. She jerked her hand away from him and hurried in the direction of the guild, but Jin spun around and grabbed her forearm. This caused Lucy to fall onto the street, her hands now both caught in the grasp of Jin's.

He dragged her into a nearby alley way. He threw her into a corner, debris and rotten food splattering over Lucy. He walked towards her and pinned her against the brick wall of the building behind her.

"Help! Someone, please!" Lucy called, her chest heaving up and down rapidly. Jin brought his elbow back, curling his fingers into a fist, and punched Lucy square in the nose. Her head bounced back into the brick and her vision went fuzzy from the impact. Lucy's senses numbed as her ears rang. _Ugh… my head… _

When Lucy's vision came to and her hearing returned, Jin's malicious grin met her gaze.

"N-no… stop… not a-again, please…" Lucy mumbled, fear once again taking over. She couldn't do anything but look down.

"Lucy, you know I've missed you… "

_Lucy! Don't let him do this to you! Come on, move! Fight back! Do __**anything!**_ Her hands trembled as Jin put his clammy hand to Lucy's cheek, and then to her shoulder, and then to her side…

What happened next was a complete blur. Lucy couldn't quite comprehend it. She heard a shout and saw someone leap from the top of the building. After that, her hearing went again and she saw flashes of blue and… red? Or was it orange? Maybe both, but Lucy didn't know. What she did remember was a shape - a spiky shape. And it was pink. And something blue hovering in the air. Her head was still lowered, and Lucy was still in shock. She felt hands grab her shoulders and Lucy feared the worst. But after a few moments, the hands shook her, and they felt, different… warm.

After a couple more shakes, Lucy's hearing slowly came back.

"Lu… c… L… cy!... Lucy!... Shit, Hap… What should I do? Lucy!"

Her head lifted to the uncertain fate before her. Lucy's large, chocolate brown eyes met the set of onyx eyes before her. Lucy mentally did a double take, no, more than a double take. The pink hair, scaled scarf, blue cat. No way. No fucking way.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy spotted Jin, passed out and sprawled across the cobblestone.

"Luce?" He questioned, his worried expression growing.

She couldn't talk let alone think. It was him. It was really Natsu, and he had saved her.

_To be continued… _

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm back! I know this chapter has a dark tone to it, but I wanted to express how important these issues are, especially today. So many victims of rape, molestation, or other crimes of the sort never tell anyone. I just feel it's important to talk about these issues rather than ignore them, and I hope you stand with me on that opinion. Anyways, NATSU IS BACK! Cliffhanger, amiright? Well, until next time, bye!**

**~TRR**


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